Articles
Returning to God’s Righteousness: Becoming His Child First, to Later Become His Bride
Barbara L. Klika, MSW, Undershepherd, Life Coach
April 2018
Written for Wisconsin Christian Newspaper
In this series on Returning to YHVH’s Righteousness, I have been examining various aspects of what it means to be in HIS righteousness once again.
With all the denominational spits that have occurred through the centuries, some people have gotten caught up in those kind of “battles” trying to determine which ones are right, or more right than the others. We have already seen that many distortions had grown in Judaism that Messiah had to correct at His first coming. Why would we think that we haven’t gotten anything wrong since then? Though well intentioned to begin with, I believe much has grown of the flesh, leading to a compromised church, missing the anchor of the Torah to keep it on track.
I came to understand that this is the wrong battleground; it is, in truth, a distraction.
The thing that our God, the God of Israel, YHVH, is interested in is obedience to His Son, Who taught and DID only what the Father taught.
So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. The
one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood. John 7: 16-18 ESV
…Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them. Hebrews 13:7-9 ESV
Their doctrines are the same, and not too difficult for us to comprehend.
… as he took delight in your fathers, when you obey the voice of the LORD your God, to keep his commandments and his statutes that are written in this Book of the Law, when you turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. “For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off… But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.
Deuteronomy 30:9b-14 ESV (full context)
Paul admonished the followers of Yeshua/Jesus NOT to say that they were of Paul or of Apollos…..and I would add, not of Luther, or Wesley, or Moody, and on and on; but only of Yeshua/Jesus. He said that these distractions come from the flesh; from immature flesh at that.
But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, for
you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are
you not being merely human?
1 Cor 3: 1-11 ESV (full context)
The bigger question is not which denominational leader to follow, but rather to depart from all the carnal questions and humble yourself to become a child of God/YHVH first, and then grow up in Him.
Returning to His Righteousness is like disregarding all of those arguments between manmade interpretations/doctrines, and returning to the same kind of “battle” that went on in the first century: Who is Israel? What must I do to become a part of the family of God, which is the family of YHVH, the God of Israel?
We tend to forget that we have grown up in a Gentile environment, hostile to the things of God, while keeping many pagan customs that just seem right to us, because our fathers did them, too. Many churches have turned to worldly wisdom and worldly estimates of success, changing the message to appeal to the masses, what you might call a religion of the people that is more convenient for them. This is the root and fruit of the apostate church. “Christianizing” pagan things has become the norm for too many people.
So when we become born again into the family of God, we DO need to humble ourselves, and review and reconsider all that we believe, bringing all of it into conformation with how our God presents Truth in His Whole Word. This is truly like becoming a child again…child-LIKE in wonder, but not child-ISH. Learning what He says is right and wrong to do, not arguing because it isn’t what we’ve known in the past or doesn’t seem logical to us.
Submitting to Him fully, is the antidote to the schemes of the devil that seek to draw us away.
This is not just done in a once or twice a week worship gathering. It is about our entire walk, the food we eat, the holidays we guard, the commandments we keep, the time we spend in the Word and prayer, in the midst of a perverse world. Without getting caught up in unholy spiritual phenomena, it is yet true that the walk of a Believer in the God of Israel is one of supernatural power. We really can’t do anything of Him in our flesh at all. Learning that His work on our behalf brought Messiah to the Right Hand of the Father, and He in turn, invites us to that place with Him is crucial. (Ephesians 1:20-23; 2:1-7) He is not coming for a child bride however, so we must grow and allow His sanctification process to prepare us. We can’t do that if we don’t start from the beginning and allow Him to renew our minds, will and emotions into His ways, coming OUT of fleshly convenience and worldly ways. With Messiah’s shed blood as our covering, we need not fear: that is His part. Our part is to choose Him first in all things, and not just sing “I Surrender All” while really meaning “I Surrender Some.”
Next Time: The “Grace Alone” mantra is true for salvation, but neglects the following sanctification/maturity process needed to become the bride without spot or wrinkle.
Becoming_Child_of_God_to_later_become_Bride_1_WCN_April_2018.pdf